Nissan Z-car History 1968-2008

The ‘60s were characterized by the oversea selling of the Nissan cars with the cadenced growing numbers. This was the result of the materials and reforming of its models according to the market specific claims and they were taken so to the market. That’s why such a GT Coupe was needed which looks like good, deputizes the modern technology, is fast and is cheap enough to produce it in force for the market. Because of the most letters of the ABC were already engaged their project got the name Nissan Design Project Z. The original Japanese character’s name is Mogen which character is very similar to the Roman Z letter which has the meaning „no limit” or „infinity” so without limits. With the choosing of this letter it was the beginning of a historical chapter willy-nilly. The run 510 from 1968 deposits the foundation for the Nissan Z.
The car 510 contained all the foundation-ideas which were also used by the 204 Z car further on. There were several criterias set up during the designing of the Z car: style, speed, technology and general price. Later the leaders and the critical people could realize that this 240 Z is still more. Finally two Z cars were born: one for the Japanese market, the Z of 2 litres and an American version, the 240 Z with the type of 2,4 litres. The Z with the type of 2 litres for the Japanese market had winken a motor like the motor of Skyline. This way the producers were ready for the EPJ European-competitions.
In October 1969 the first Datsun Fairlady 240 Z sportcar was introduced in America which was run by a motor of 2,4 litres, 6 rolls and 150 horsepower. The car is wheeled first with a hand-switch of 4 speed and with the suspense of 4 wheels and it was provided with back drumbrake. But it is known that the American people don’t like the long names so the car was known in a few days like the Z car.
In 1974 the new 260 Z model of the Datsun Nissan was introduced and produced. In this car the performance of the motor with 2,6 litre grew from 129 horsepower to 139 horsepower in the version of a car with 4 speed as a result of the motor’s expansion and the optional 2+2 bodywork was at the customers service.
In the middle of 1975 the 280 Z car was designed and taken to the market accordingly to the stricter environmental rules. This car has a motor of 2,8 litre with 149 horsepower.
In 1977 the performance of the motor was advanced again to 170 horsepower and after that the switch 5 speed was entered. The form of the buffer was changed again.
In 1978 280 Z car was sold in limited number. Some of the models were coloured with metal-black and with red and silver decorated stripes.
In 1979 the second generation Datsun Z type was sold with the name of the 280 ZX. The motor, the gearshift and the differential was transplanted from the original 280Z. But the performance was reduced by the general entered rules in the type of 136 horsepower and 5 speed. The air conditioner and the power steering were standard by every 2+2 model.
In 1980 the GL coupe models were set up by the roof with the window and with the option of the leather inside. The jubilee versions which were produced because of the 10th jubilee of the producing and because of the selling of the 3000th car, were taken to the market with 2 colourtones, with gilded light rims headlights-cleaner and with automatic thermostat.
In 1981 the first Z car with turbo upset with the name of Datsun 280 ZX turbo was produced which had 180 horsepower and an automatic gear-change with 3 speed in the version of the Coupe. The suspense-system was changed in the turbo-cars and wider wheels and tyres were set up. The performance of the motors without turbo was grown to 145 horsepower.
Then came the year of 1984. The Nissan 300 ZX Z31 was produced. The third generation of the Nissan cars. A V6 motor with 160 horsepower ensured about the drive. But the turbo was only an eligible option which had the performance of 200 horsepower. The electronic actuating ensured about the actuating of the 300 ZX’s turbo Coupe version. It had a hand-gearshift of 5 speed and an automatic gear-change of 3 or 4 speed. In this year the name Datsun was totally changed to the trade-name Nissan.
From 1986 the side-elements flared which made out the car-body with 5-5 centimetres. The front,- back,- under car-body spoilers and the third seeded brake-lamp line became standard options.
From 1988 the performance of both motor-types was advanced with 5 horsepower.
In 1990 the Z can of the Z cars was born. New VQ cars with turbo of 280-300 horsepower and suctorial doc V6 motors with 222 horsepower were developed for models which dispose of the different fuel-using-parameters and dispose of manual and automatic gear-change during the changing of the type with the Z32 models in the forth generation. The motors dispose of variable valve-time set systems and of ignition-set systems. The ZX cars were at service with the eligible option of the standard gearshift with 5 speed and of automatic gear-change with 4 speed.
In 1991 the airbag at the driver-side was the eligible option in the Coupe cars with fixed roof which generally were set up with a conventional, not turbo motor and with gearshift with 5 speed. The BOSE audio system, the heated outside-mirrors and the automatic heating-system were standard options.
In 1992 the airbag at the driver-side and the control of the electronic adjustable driver-seat were standard options by the cars with targa roof.
In 1993 the first convertible 300ZX was produced with conventional motor and with a bit heavier car-body.
In 1994 the door opener-and closer system without key became standard option like the leather seats in the turbo version with automatic gear-change. Outstanding spoilers got to the back side of the car-body.
In 1995 the version with 365 horsepower of the 300 ZX special edition SMZ car was completed with wider wheels, with bigger brakes, with corrected shock-absorvers and with enlarged wings.
1996 is the last year of selling the Z32 models in America. But in other countries of the world this cars still were produced some years long.
The debut of the report car with the name Nissan Z was fondly welcome by the sport car lovers in the auto salon in Detroit in January 2001. Such a new Z car with 6 rolls has appeared on the roads of the world for 30 years at the third time whose successful forefathers like the 240 Z, 260 Z or the 280 Z and the 300 ZX rightly took place on the platform of the sport cars’ gradiation. The super wonder with the formal name 350 Z lived up to expectations at the end of the expansions and testing works at the first moment of the appearance oversea. More cars of this are sold currently in the USA than the Corvette which is regarded as the symbol of the national sport car. On the 19th international automobile festival the youngest member of the Z family, the 350 Z conquered the heart of the people from Paris. It won “the most beautiful car of the year” award which is the most prestigious award and it signs the results of the automotive industry. The world premier of the 370 Z Coupe from 2009 took place on 19th of November on the auto show in Los Angeles according to the latest news.